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July 10, 2013

Store Owner Shot to Death in Apparent Robbery

Los Angeles: Detectives have released an image of the shooter who
killed Nester Hernandez as he closed up his business on Woodman Avenue
last Monday night.

“It’s
apparent the shooter appears suddenly from the victim’s right,” said
Lt. Paul Vernon, commanding officer of the Mission Detective Division.
“There’s no real confrontation, just an immediate assault. It’s
deliberate, premeditated and tends to show it’s a grudge.”

The 34-year-old store owner was shot four times and died at the scene.

The suspect was wearing an over-sized white jersey and a white baseball
cap with a dark brim. Witnesses said he appeared to be Hispanic and in
his thirties. The video clearly shows him firing a shotgun.

Police did not release the video out of respect to the victim’s family.
“Suffice to say, the shooting is graphic and disturbing. This is the
best image we have of the suspect,” Lt. Vernon explained. Police hope
that anyone who knows this suspect personally will recognize him from
the image.

Detectives also released a second image of a woman seen entering the
tattoo shop immediately following the shooting. They believe she is the
nearest eyewitness to the shooting and would like to talk to her.

Los Angeles:
Detectives are investigating the fatal shooting of the 34-year-old
owner of a wireless phone store on Woodman Avenue. Around 8:40 PM, July
8, witnesses reported seeing a heavy-set man confronting the victim on
the sidewalk in front of the store front.

“Another bystander flagged a passing fire truck to help a man who was
apparently shot,” explained Lt. Paul Vernon, commanding officer of the
Mission Detective Division. “9-1-1 received several other calls of
witnesses reporting the shooting in the 8900 block of Woodman Avenue..”

Firefighters and police found the victim shot multiple times, lying on
the sidewalk, just feet from his business. It appeared he was closing
the business when the confrontation that led to his death occurred. The
man died at the scene, and a woman later arrived, who claimed to be his
wife, and confirmed him as the store owner since February.

“We’re asking anyone with information to come forward to help us solve
this case quickly,” Lt. Vernon said. “Right now, this appears to be a
robbery, but we’ll have to look deeper to know for sure. What we can
count on, though, is people talk, and we need anyone with information to
step up so we can solve this for this man’s wife.”

Witnesses described the suspect as a heavy-set Hispanic man, wearing a
white shirt and carrying a gun. Detectives recovered several cartridges
from the gun at the crime scene. The suspect was last seen running
south on Woodman Avenue for quite a distance.

Anyone with information on this crime is urged to call Detective Efren
Gutierrez, Mission Homicide Unit, at (818) 838-9948. Anonymous tips can
be called into Crimestoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477), or by texting
274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone. All text
messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.” Online tips may be
placed at www.LAPDOnline.org, click on “webtips” and follow the prompts.